Accurate Measurement Helps No & Low Beverage Producers Meet Legal Alcohol Limits with Confidence

Fast, reliable analysis is becoming increasingly important as producers respond to growing demand for No & Low beverages and tighter requirements around product classification and quality.

For producers of No & Low alcohol beverages, achieving the right balance between taste, quality and regulatory compliance is increasingly important. When alcohol levels are close to legal thresholds, accurate and reliable measurement is essential to ensure products meet their declared classification and remain within specification.

However, measuring very low ethanol concentrations can be challenging, particularly for producers managing high sample volumes, tight specifications, and the need for consistent results. Manual testing methods can also be time-consuming and introduce variability, potentially delaying quality control checks and production decisions.

Anton Paar is addressing these challenges with analytical solutions designed to provide reliable measurement across a range of alcohol concentrations, helping producers strengthen quality control and make confident decisions about their products.

Reliable reference analysis for very low alcohol levels

The Anton Paar Enzymatic Reader accurately measures low ethanol concentrations while reducing measurement variability and simplifying routine laboratory testing. Its automated workflow enables laboratories to process samples efficiently, helping producers identify potential issues earlier and make faster production decisions.

The system has been validated against established reference methods, including gas chromatography, while offering advantages in testing speed and investment cost. This makes it a practical option for producers looking to improve the efficiency and reliability of routine analysis.

For applications where alcohol concentrations fall below the range traditionally measured by standard NIR analysis, the Enzymatic Reader can also complement Anton Paar’s Alcolyzer systems.

The Anton Paar Alcolyzer uses ethanol-specific NIR analysis to provide rapid alcohol measurement and is designed for routine quality control in the beverage industry. The technology can measure samples with alcohol content down to 0.03% v/v, with accuracy of ±0.01% v/v.

By combining an Alcolyzer system with the Enzymatic Reader, producers can extend their analytical capabilities to samples below the 0.03% v/v level. The enzymatic measurement can be used as a reference value to apply an offset to the Alcolyzer, allowing the system to be used with samples that may previously have been outside its compatible range.

This combination enables most routine measurements to be carried out rapidly using the Alcolyzer, while the Enzymatic Reader can be used periodically for reference and control measurements.

Supporting quality and compliance in the No & Low sector

As the No & Low beverage category continues to develop, reliable analytical testing will remain an important part of maintaining product consistency and demonstrating compliance with applicable alcohol limits.

By providing fast, repeatable and reliable measurements across a broad range of alcohol concentrations, Anton Paar’s analytical solutions can help beverage producers improve laboratory efficiency, maintain batch consistency and make informed production decisions.

Anton Paar will be discussing the challenges of analysing No & Low beverages at the BFBI No & Low Beverage Conference, taking place on 14–15 October 2026 at Holywell Park Conference Centre in Loughborough. Steven Vincent from Anton Paar will present on the challenges associated with measuring No & Low beverages and the analytical approaches available to producers.

Anton Paar will also host a dedicated No & Low Alcohol in the Beverage Industry workshop on 4 November 2026, at their laboratory in Luton, providing further insight into measuring and analysing No & Low beverages.

To learn more about No & Low Alcohol solutions, visit our website or contact us via email at info.uk@anton-paar.com